New Profile is a young and visible organization, the outgrowth of our belief that there is a need to question the deep-seated influence of militarism on Israeli society. The movement, comprised of feminist women, men and youth, is a volunteer grassroots organization. Our name, New Profile, reflects the long-range aim of our organization: to change the Profile of Israeli society from a militarized society of war and might, to an actively peacemaking community in which the rights of all its citizens are protected and promoted equally, and the human rights of all people residing inside and outside Israeli borders are respected.

New Profile is the first political movement in Israel to identify de-militarization as a top priority. We have set before ourselves several goals. We focus on de-militarizing education. We do ongoing advocacy promoting demilitarization through lectures, the media, and conferences and other events. We support the right to resist the draft, conscientious objection and refusal to serve in the Occupied Territories for all men and women. We work with women whose lives have been damaged by militarization, such as victims of sexual harassment in the military, or of exploitation by the Ministry of Defense.

New Profile would like to urgently ask your support for a case of unlawful dismissal of an employee on grounds of his conscientious objection to certain types of military service. Attorney Michael Sfard, representing the employee, Yonatan Shapira, on behalf of New Profile , defines the case as: “above and beyond anything else, a case which explores the right to freedom of conscience in the private sector”.

In an unprecedented law suit filed September 28th 2006 with the Haifa Israeli labor relations tribunal, Sfard will accuse an Israeli commercial helicopter company of unlawfully discriminating on grounds of moral conscience against its employee, Yonatan Shapira. Yonatan Shapira became publicly known when, in September 2003, he as one of the initiators and representatives of the “Pilots’ Letter” in which twenty-seven Israel Airforce pilots stated that they “are opposed to carrying out attack orders that are illegal and immoral, of the type the state of Israel has been conducting in the territories.” The army responded by dismissing Shapira from further (reserve) duty in the airforce.

Shapira has been working for the abovementioned commercial helicopter company since 2000. His expertise is dangerous airborne maintenance work on live electricity cables. In 2004, the employing company was joined by a recently retired high-ranking airforce officer, prominently placed during the period when the “Pilots’ Letter” was published. Since the officer, who repeatedly and openly expressed his disagreement with and contempt for conscientious objectors like Shapira, became chief pilot of the company, in 2006, Shapira has effectively been barred from work.

Together with New Profile , attorney Michael Sfard, points out that this is a blatant case of discrimination resulting from the far reaching militarization of Israeli civic society. Israeli industry – among other spheres of civic society – is run, to a significant degree, by ex-members of the military establishment who frequently do not observe the legally underwritten distinction between army and civic society. As a result conscientious objection in the military context can be penalized and sanctioned in the world of work. Such penalties – usually invisible to date – have never before been challenged through the Israeli legal system. New Profile views this groundbreaking case as a vital part of the struggle to expose the deep running militarization of all strata of society in Israel and a meaningful opportunity to advance de-militarization while defending freedom of conscience.

New Profile urgently asks you to support Yonatan Shapira in his struggle against unlawful discrimination due to his conscientious objection. Litigation may be a time and resource-consuming process.

For US residents – US tax deductible contributions can be made through the Refuser Solidarity Network (www.refusersolidarity.net). Send a check made out to “Refuser Solidarity Network” with “New Profile” on the memo line to:

A war is being waged in the north and south of Israel – a war that invades our private as well as public space. Our homes are no longer protected, but exposed to risk on many levels – national, economic, social, family, and emotional. In this war, hundreds of thousands of civilians including children are under attack in Israel, Lebanon and Gaza.

This war mixes a ‘military’ with a ‘civilian’ reality, breaking down the distinctions between army and society, political and personal, strength and weakness, military and social allocations. In this war, the home front is being asked to show strength, but not asked its opinion. In the media, the masculine-military discourse is the only one heard. This language does not express our lives.

As activists in feminist organizations, we call attention to the population that has been abandoned in the home front – many of them women and children – who lack all protection. These include Mizrahi, Arab, and immigrant women with no resources and support networks, many of them single mothers, some whose lives were already troubled by violence. This war has had a special impact on women.

Decisions are being made about military and political measures that bring massive harm to the civilian population, but there is no real examination of non-military alternatives, no representation of women, no attention to the civilian and gender considerations, and no discussion of the ethical and humanitarian implications of war policies on civilians in Israel and beyond its borders.

We call upon the government of Israel:

• To prefer political channels to resolving this conflict, avoid harm to the civilian population, and promote a diplomatic solution.

• To implement the amendment to the Law of Equality for Women in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. This law mandates the inclusion of women in all political decision-making, whether formulating domestic policies or policies regarding the continuation or discontinuation of the war, including ad hoc task forces to promote a diplomatic solution through negotiations.

We call upon the Israeli authorities:

Regarding compensation for loss of income: To recognize that most women who remain in the war zone are those lacking the means to leave, and struggling with difficult circumstances. These women need immediate and ongoing assistance, and should be included in all decisions regarding compensation for their loss of income as a direct and indirect result of the war. This compensation must be accomplished rapidly, without undue bureaucracy, and with dignity.

Regarding violence against women during war: To recognize that war situations increase the incidence of gender violence against women and girls, and to undertake to prevent and deal with this violence. The security of women is jeopardized by a discourse of national security that fails to include the security of women.

Regarding assistance to families: To provide material and emotional support to women and families in their shelters and homes – food, medical attention, emotional support, communication tools, police responsiveness.

Regarding Arab citizens of Israel: The state of Israel must provide equal services to its Arab citizens – accessible help, infrastructure, and information – to create physical, social and economic security to all its citizens. Arab women are particularly vulnerable to the economic and social repercussions of war, which should be addressed.

We call upon the Israeli media:

To include women in every program and deliberation regarding military, political, social, and economic issues, and to bring a gendered and civil society perspective to these programs.